Coraline growth! What Am I doing wrong?

[Submaweiner]

Tank Specs: 65 gal. 342w HQI and Acitinics outer orbit lights, 4 maxijet powerheads, Aqua-C remora skimmer, sump with Chaeto and other Macro.

Parameters: temp 79, 10 DKH, Calcium 440 ppm, PH 8.3, Phosphate and Nitrate zero.

Livestock: 2 blue chromis, 2 small clowns, 1 yellow tang, 7 large turbo snails, Tons of zebra (Hawaiian)hermits, 5 strawberry crabs, pistol shrimp.
1 pulsing xenia, torch coral, hammer coral, and some zoanthids.

How do I enhance Coraline growth in my tank, I know patience is always required but I have friends with coraline all over glass and rocks and my tank is still some what bare. I started with completly bare base rock and used live sand occasionally introducing some heavily encrusted coraline rocks (many colors: orange, purple, pink, etc) My tank has been established and is up and running for about 1 year now. Im seeing some purple tint on some rocks and a few spots here and there of pink and bright green, But I also have alot of thin green algae along some of my rocks. Are my hermits eating my coraline Or am I doing something wrong?

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[brandonberry]

Have you tested strontium. I've read that this can enhance coralline growth. I've never seen any controlled studies on it though. Also, a lot of salts are already above NSW levels on it. Just a thought though. I would think with calcium and alk like that it would be growing like crazy. Maybe the spectrum of your bulbs isn't that great for coralline. Also, what kit are you testing phosphates with? Many phosphate test kits available to hobbiests do not measure to the low levels at which phosphate can begin to affect calcification. The Salifert kit measures down to .03 ppm but the color changes are only slightly different. I believe it is sufficient though.

 

[SnowManSnow]

it takes a while sometimes

 

[Anonymous]

Did any of the live rock already have good coralline growth on it? I so dig your nick, too. I'm not sure why, but the image tags didn't work for your pictures. The links are good, come up just fine, but the tags are a no-go. Weird.

 

[Nemo2007]

Those numbers sound pretty good. How consistently do you check and maintain those numbers?

Assuming your numbers are always that good, I would consider your problem may be those other trace elements. Iodine, strontium and magnesium are all important.

What sort of additives do you use to maintain your calcium and alkalinity?

Lastly, was your seed coraline algae growing on rock obtained from tanks as brightly lit as yours. I have purchased seed rock only to see the coraline algae fade away in the brighter lighting in my tank. Many species of coraline algae prefer lower lighting. I have even heard of using only the actinic lighting for two days or so to showcase the coraline algae in a tank.

 

[FinalPhaze987]

Check your Mg levels...this was the problem i had..its commonly overlooked and isnt commonly included in the "reef test kit" packages..you dont want to add Mg, or any sup. for that matter, without testing first. salifert makes a good test kit IMO...keep param. steady and make sure you have good flow..

As stated above, it really does come with time...some species such as P. conicum and H. boergesenni dont show up till the tank is well aged..

Some require high light and some require moderate..i have more Mesophyllum sp. (spelling?) in my fuge than i do in the rest of the tank..My tank is lit w/ three 250w 14k halides and the fuge has two 25w 10k T5's!

You can try going to your LFS and ask them if they will scrape some off their tanks and collect the water for you...this can be used to seed the tank..you can also buy a CURED rock with coralline on it and scrape some off with a razor blade in your tank....try to get different types..look up the species and determine your placement from there...once you get it growing youll notice youll have to add alot more Ca to keep levels steady..

FWIW When it grew on the back of my tank, i noticed i saw new patches on the rock 3-4 days after scraping it off...